Pygmy Rattlesnakes

[DBOldford]

And don't forget Florida panthers, one of which ran across the road in front of us near Basmati's in Blue Mountain one dark night.

In the past, Walton County would have what was called a Rattlesnake Rodeo. People would catch hundreds of rattlers and the live specimens would be piled up into an elevated cage. They milked the snakes for anti-venom, later used them for rattlesnake meat and for their skins. I unknowingly ate some rattlesnake meat at a chili cookoff in Southern CA. Who knows what anything tastes like when submerged in all those ingredients? But I remember all those snakes rattling and striking and coiling up together in the pens, because they gave me nightmares as a child. I also remember seeing hundreds of snakeskins hanging on a clothesline. The Rodeo had food booths where they offered rattlesnake cooked in all kinds of ways. Yuck.

 

[whitesands]

Wow, this is so interesting...black widow spiders too and Panthers. Donna, your stories are so well told. I think I ate rattlesnake once too...at a Cajun restaurant. It tasted like chicken, if I remember correctly, but then, so do a lot of things...frog legs being one of them. And to think I thought "wild life" meant going to the clubs for funn :funn: I have a whole new perspective on wildlife now! Does anyone know if the snakes hybernate during the "winter" months in the panhandle? The only "critters" I've seen on and just off 30A when we've been down, are those little green, cute lizards or salamanders. Black widow spiders! The thought of those scare me just about to death!

 

[ShallowsNole]

Donna, I think Opp, Alabama still has their Rattlesnake Rodeo. Big festival.

As far as the question about hibernating - yes, they are supposed to, or at least get very sluggish when we have cold weather. But the last couple of winters have been very mild.

 

[Cil]

I once found a black widow in my basement in Denver. I checked just to make sure, yup, it had the hourglass on its stomach. We can't go tiptoeing gingerly through life, these critters have a right to live their lives too, but I sure don't want to end up meeting one in that happens to be in a bad mood.
I hear coyotes all the time, and regularly see a gray fox here, but I am already used to that from when we lived in Denver. Panthers and bobcats are supposed to be here, too, but haven't seen them yet, just feral cats.
It's the snakes that freak me out.
What's that saying about color and venomous snakes?
If it's black, you're all right, Jack.
If it's red, you're dead, Fred.
Something like that.

 

[Smiling JOe]

As long as you are mentioning spiders, we also have the Brown Recluse, which I find on occasion, but fortunately, unlike a friend of mine, we don't have Crocodiles, Monkeys, and Cobras.

 

[whitesands]

Cil, I think you've put it in perfect perspective...we can't tiptoe gingerly through life. Btw, we were through Port St. Joe earlier this year...a beautiful, beautiful spot ShallowsNole...I hear your warning...well, I could wish for a colder winter...mmmm...nope...we'll take the critters...and whatever weather we get for that matter...ShallowsNole and SJ...brown recluse ...I've seen a documentary on that critter...nasty...SJ...Crocodiles, Monkeys and Cobras...oh my! We really do live in a wondrous world I feel fortunate to be able to see at least some of it...and to hear about the wildlife on/around/off 30A. Y'all are such great people!

 

[Miss Kitty]

Don't forget the dunecrashers and trashers. Human wildlife.

 

[Cheering472]

Don't forget the dunecrashers and trashers. Human wildlife.

This would include my ex-husband.

 

[Uncle Timmy]

And don't forget Florida panthers, one of which ran across the road in front of us near Basmati's in Blue Mountain one dark night.

Donna, when was this? In the past few years?

I live near Basmati's next to the state forest and have always wondered if there were any panthers left roaming the area from time to time.

 

[wintersbk]

Info on pygmy rattlesnakes

http://www.herpsofnc.org/herps_of_NC/snakes/Sis_mil.html